Ramadan is a special time during which the Muslims are encouraged to increase their performance of good deeds and acts of worship.

Here are a few suggestions to prevent your zeal from weakening during this month:

• Gathering for the night prayer

This is an act of worship which is not legislated other than during the nights of Ramadan; it is a great act of worship which must be given its due right by us all, and that is by observing the following:

Firstly, we must arrive early to the mosque and not miss the ‘Ishaa’ prayer with the congregation, because performing the obligatory prayer with the congregation is far more important than the optional night prayer.

Secondly, we should not attend certain mosques just because the Imaam there has a nice voice, instead we should enjoy the words of Allah, which must be more enjoyable to us than the voice of the Imaam. Many people do not comprehend this point; we would like people to comprehend the words of Allah and only if this is fulfilled when there is no harm in praying behind an Imaam who is blessed with a nice voice.

Thirdly, we should be attentive when we hear verses of the Quran which speak of mercy, reward, punishment, stories of the past, the horrors of the Day of Resurrection and the names and attributes of Allah, because this will enable our hearts to react to the verses.

Something very strange is that some people become submissive and react to the supplications which are said by the Imaam during the Witr (odd Rak’ah prayer with which the night prayer is concluded), more so than when listening to the verses of Allah The Almighty. There is nothing superior to the words of Allah The Almighty; there is nothing better or sweeter than His words; there can be nothing more effective than the words of Allah.

Fourthly, we should not cry or weep loudly, because when the Prophet would pray, the people would hear a sound like a boiling pot of water emanating from his chest, due to the extent to which he would cry, but also by him concealing the sound as much as he could. Concealing this sound is a reflection of ones sincerity and we must remember that the crying of one's heart is more important than that of the mouth. Our pious predecessors used to cry tears but without any sound; when any of them would cry the person next to him would not realise that he was doing so.

• Eating Suhoor (pre-dawn meal eaten before fasting)

This is a great act of worship but many people are heedless of it and sleep through it, and others even sleep through the dawn prayer itself. Unfortunately, we see the number of people present at the dawn prayer to be a lot less than that expected in Ramadan, and the reason for this is that they do not wake up to eat the Suhoor meal. The Prophet said: ~“Eat Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) because there is a blessing in it. Do not leave eating it even if one of you would (only) take a sip of water, because Allah and His angels send blessings upon those who eat Suhoor.”~~

Thus, we should take the meal of Suhoor for the following reasons:

First: Allah The Almighty and His angels send blessings upon whoever does so.
Second: There is a great blessing in it.
Third: Taking it is an act that contradicts the practice of the Jews and the Christians.
Fourth: Taking it gives one strength.
Fifth: Taking it assures one's attendance at the dawn prayer.

• Being keen to feed people Iftaar (the meal that concludes the fast):

The Prophet said: ~“If someone gives one who has been fasting Iftaar (the meal with which a fasting person breaks his fast) to break his fast, he will have a reward equal to his (i.e., the fasting person) without his reward being diminished in any way.”~~

Feed the fasting person; suffice him, and deliver food to him without reminding him of your favour; instead you need to thank Allah The Almighty for having provided you with the opportunity of feeding a fasting person. Remember your Muslim brothers and sisters in different parts of the world who do not find one of the many dishes that you enjoy during your meals, so fear Allah The Almighty and do not waste food.

(To be continued)